With nothing I came out of my mother's body, and with nothing I will go back there; the Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; let the Lord's name be praised.

Let destruction take the day of my birth, and the night on which it was said, A man child has come into the world.

That day--let it be dark; let not God take note of it from on high, and let not the light be shining on it;

Let the dark and the black night take it for themselves; let it be covered with a cloud; let the dark shades of day send fear on it.

That night--let the thick dark take it; let it not have joy among the days of the year; let it not come into the number of the months.

As for that night, let it have no fruit; let no voice of joy be sounded in it;

Let it be cursed by those who put a curse on the day; who are ready to make Leviathan awake.

Let its morning stars be dark; let it be looking for light, but may it not have any; let it not see the eyes of the dawn.

Truly, that man is happy who has training from the hand of God: so do not let your heart be shut to the teaching of the Ruler of all.

If only he would be pleased to put an end to me; and would let loose his hand, so that I might be cut off!

Now then, let your eyes be turned to me, for truly I will not say what is false to your face.

Let your minds be changed, and do not have an evil opinion of me; yes, be changed, for my righteousness is still in me.

So I will not keep my mouth shut; I will let the words come from it in the pain of my spirit, my soul will make a bitter outcry.

And why do you not take away my sin, and let my wrongdoing be ended? for now I go down to the dust, and you will be searching for me with care, but I will be gone.

He would not let me take my breath, but I would be full of bitter grief.

If I say, I will put my grief out of mind, I will let my face be sad no longer and I will be bright;

You will not let me be clear of sin! why then do I take trouble for nothing?

Let him take away his rod from me and not send his fear on me:

My soul is tired of life; I will let my sad thoughts go free in words; my soul will make a bitter outcry.

Are not the days of my life small in number? Let your eyes be turned away from me, so that I may have a little pleasure,

If you put far away the evil of your hands, and let no wrongdoing have a place in your tent;

Truly, there is no building up of what is pulled down by him; when a man is shut up by him, no one may let him loose.

Keep quiet, and let me say what is in my mind, whatever may come to me.

Take your hand far away from me; and let me not be overcome by fear of you.

Then at the sound of your voice I will give answer; or let me put forward my cause for you to give me an answer.

Let your eyes be turned away from him, and take your hand from him, so that he may have pleasure at the end of his day, like a servant working for payment.

Let him not put his hope in what is false, falling into error: for he will get deceit as his reward.

O earth, let not my blood be covered, and let my cry have no resting-place!

Though he takes care of it, and does not let it go, but keeps it still in his mouth;

Let him not see the rivers of oil, the streams of honey and milk.

Give attention with care to my words; and let this be your comfort.

Let me say what is in my mind, and after that, go on making sport of me.

You say, God keeps punishment stored up for his children. Let him send it on the man himself, so that he may have the punishment of it!

Let his eyes see his trouble, and let him be full of the wrath of the Ruler of all!

Be pleased to take teaching from his mouth, and let his words be stored up in your heart.

Let it be far from me! I will certainly not say that you are right! I will come to death before I give up my righteousness.

I will keep it safe, and will not let it go: my heart has nothing to say against any part of my life.

Let my hater be like the evil man, and let him who comes against me be as the sinner.

After I had said what was in my mind, they were quiet and let my words go deep into their hearts;

(Let me be measured in upright scales, and let God see my righteousness:)

Let me put seed in the earth for another to have the fruit of it, and let my produce be uprooted.

Then let my wife give pleasure to another man and let others make use of her body.

(For I did not let my mouth give way to sin, in putting a curse on his life;)

Then in place of grain let thorns come up, and in place of barley evil-smelling plants.

Let me say what is in my mind, so that I may get comfort; let me give answer with open mouth.

Let me not give respect to any man, or give names of honour to any living.

And if he has mercy on him, and says, Let him not go down to the underworld, I have given the price for his life:

Let us make the decision for ourselves as to what is right; let us have the knowledge among ourselves of what is good.

Now then, you wise, take note; you men of knowledge, give ear to me. Let it be far from God to do evil, and from the Ruler of all to do wrong.

Let your eyes be turned to the heavens, and lifted up to see the skies; they are higher than you.

They are bent down, they give birth to their young, they let loose the fruit of their body.

Who has let the ass of the fields go free? or made loose the bands of the loud-voiced beast?

Will he who is protesting give teaching to the Ruler of all? Let him who has arguments to put forward against God give an answer.

Let your wrath be overflowing; let your eyes see all the sons of pride, and make them low.

Let them be covered together in the dust; let their faces be dark in the secret place of the underworld.